Reality bites

[poli]

Significa que llega algún punto en que hay que enfrentar unos hechos desagradables. ¿Existe un dicho con el mismo significado en castellano?

[aleCcowaN]

La vida duele.
La vida es dura.
La verdad duele/hiede/apesta.

verdad.
...
7. f. realidad (‖ existencia real de algo).
...
DRAE

[poli]

Sí, Alec, pero reality bites tiene algo de ver con una situación dinámica.
María Antonieta vivía en un mundo de fantasía pero eventualmente tuvo
que enfrentar la realidad.

Podemos ignorar que hay un huracán imenso el el Golfo de Mexico, pero pronto vamos a experimentar sus efectos cuando azota la costa. De hecho reality bites.

[aleCcowaN]

Entonces ¿qué tal ...

La vida no da revancha
La realidad no perdona

?

[poli]

That's closer.

[aleCcowaN]

There's no exact match, short and applicable to most cases. We may say:

(Puedes .... ) pero al final la realidad te alcanza / la realidad se impone / te enfrentas con la realidad.

Without being fixed expressions, there's a lot of creative ways to say that:

Al final la realidad te noquea/te da un sopapo/te arroja un balde de agua.

but it all depends on the nuance and context of the English version.

[poli]

I was trying to think of synomoous expressions in English. One is: to face the music--as in: they are living in a fantasy but eventually they will have to face the music.

In the idioms section of this website, a translation for that saying is
a lo hecho, pecho. Would this work? Do you think it may be Mexico specific?

[aleCcowaN]

We say "a lo hecho, pecho" in the same sense of "tant pis!" in French, meaning "you did so (or you wanted it done so), now bear with the consequences". Nothing related with biting realities, which seems to relate with "tapar el sol con la mano", or any way of dismissing consequences, menaces, or acting like some problems don't exist as if they would going to vanish for dealing with them that way.

[Gala]

I thought 'A lo hecho, pecho' was more like "What's done is done" or "No use crying over spilt milk." I think it applies whether you are the one who "did it" or simply must accept the unalterable reality of something that someone else did that affects you.

[Rusty]

"What's done is done" has the implied meaning of having to live with the consequences of the act.
a lo hecho, pecho